Achieving search success is a little bit like finishing a Marathon

Having a search engine optimized business website is a little bit like running a marathon, or writing a novel: Lots of people want to have the finished achievement, but don’t look forward to the time and effort it would take to make it happen.

In other words, it’s a love-hate relationship. On the one hand, there’s the goal, and on the other is the challenge. Here is a quick peek at both sides of the coin:

Business owners love search engine optimization because the ROI is fantastic.

With very few exceptions, there aren’t many ways to build a business as profitably and reliably over the long term as having a favorable position on Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Depending on what industry you’re in, having your website show up on the first page for one of your most important keywords could be more valuable than having prime Manhattan real estate. Who couldn’t use hundreds, or even thousands, of extra potential clients every day?

At the same time, good SEO takes a lot of time.

And that’s to say nothing of the money, if you’re hiring a professional search engine optimization team. What’s worse, most of that time and money are going to come at the front end of the process, when you’re likely to see the least in terms of results.

So what’s the answer to this conundrum? You guessed it: You have to deal with it the same way novelists, marathon runners, and others with a long-term goal have to – by constantly reminding yourself why you’re going through the effort and then just gritting your teeth until it happens. That might not be the easiest thing in the world, but it is the only proven way to search engine optimization success.

If you hate the waiting that comes along with implementing a good business SEO plan, then you certainly aren’t alone. Stick it out long enough, though, and you’ll find out why there are thousands of business owners who love search engine optimization, too.